I wonder what will happen to me there. All I do in bed is toss and turn because my mind is still working at its best even when I’m physically tired already.

This is my last night here at home and in this place. I’ll be leaving for Seoul, Korea tomorrow morning and stay there for three months. It’s not long, but I’m sure that I’ll be missing a lot from here. My room, with its chipped pale pink walls, the view of the always busy street from outside the window, and my bed that is now on the floor after its frame dismantled about a year ago. And oh! My dog, Alpha-Alpha, too!

I know a little of Korea to be honest, and the way I see it, I can tell that it’s a very youthful and modernized country, it’s packed but not that chaotic, a bit far from the place I was born and raised in, Binondo – one of the oldest around Metro Manila but very much alive with so many things to do. It may not be as organized and systematic, but its one place you want to be in, especially when you breathe and live shopping and food. Also, I will miss my family. I’ve never been away from them for so long. I think the longest was when a friend invited me to her province where we stayed for a week.

“No” my alarm clock is snoozing like an angry cat. With my left, I hit the top of the clock to stop it, covered myself with my floral blanket and sleep again.

“FILI!”

Here comes my monster. Uhh. My mother. As usual, she has her volume at its max. This is one thing I will not miss. Actually, I’m so grateful to not hear it for a few months. My ears will have their needed rest.

She shook my shoulder softly, then mildly, then WILDLY, sole reason why it hurts so badly in the morning. “Get up now! Your flight’s at ten and it’s already five! Get up, eat breakfast, take a bath and get dressed!” Why does she always have to enumerate the things I should do when I know them very well?

Because of the three hour early rule when flying, I don’t have a choice but to move as fast as I can even when my body feels so heavy. My head is throbbing like it’s going to be split in half and I don’t have the appetite to eat even when my favorite combo of garlic fried rice and Chicken Adobo is on the table.

“You should at least eat some Fili” Papa said and scooped rice for me. “You will miss these for sure” he put the leg part of the chicken on my plate and smothered my rice with some sauce. Just the way I like it!

I’m sure to miss Papa, the man who understands me the most and picks up after my mess. Aside from my eldest sister, he is the person I know who will never get tired of supporting me. Of course I’m going to miss Mama too. It’s just that, there are times when we clash. I’m pretty thankful that I get to rest from her for a while.

“Make sure you have everything you need, especially your school documents. You don’t want to go there as a disoriented and disorganized student like you are here” Mama is still in my ear and it’s been going for an hour and a half now.

Safe and secured in an envelope, I smiled at the sight of my documents that took me a year to get. “I’m packed! Ready to go! I have everything in already” I said while patting my fully stuffed suitcase. I have only one and I’m worried that I didn’t bring enough for my three months trip. Oh well, I will just buy what I need there. I just have to go by a budget.

“Nervous?” Papa asked while unloading my suitcase from the trunk of our car. I looked at him with a half-smile on my face. “Do I look nervous?” I asked. He smiled and put his arm around my still achi